Changes
by binkykiatch
Summary: Everybody changes, be it emotionally, mentally, or, in Tonks' case, literally. Yet some people hide those changes, and some people are the cause. Can you make someone uncover themselves and let them forget their fears? TonksHermione


Disclaimer: I own nothing. All characters belong to JKR and those people, and I'm not making any money from this.

Summary: Everybody changes, be it emotionally, mentally, or, in Tonks' case, literally. Yet some people hide them, and some people are the cause. Can you make someone uncover themselves and let them forget their fears?

Pairing: Tonks/Hermione

Warnings: Femmeslash, so if that isn't your thing, turn away now. And it borders on fluffy at the end.

Author's Note: Attacked by plot bunnies again, yet this isn't quite what I was going to write, so I'm debating writing more. Enjoy.

Edited to Add: There were a few things that were annoying me so I changed them. :)

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Changes

Hermione extinguished the lights of the kitchen and slowly made her way up the stairs, her subconscious telling her which parts to dodge, where to miss the creaks, and when to miss a step, her mind too exhausted to think clearly. On auto-pilot, she pushed the door open and dropped her bag on the floor as gently as possible with a burden that she felt would one day break her back, and grabbed her pyjamas from her bed.

Since Grimmauld Place had become overcrowded with the necessity of the Orders' member staying in a safe place of refuge, Hermione no longer minded sharing the room with Ginny and Tonks. She now knew where Ginny, who had claimed the next bed, would scatter her clothes and books after a long day of helping her mother, and had become accustomed to having to clamber over Tonks' robes and Auror equipment in the dark on her way to the bathroom.

An exhausted frown looked back at her in the mirror, blinking rapidly to adjust to the stark light of the lamp. She ignored her reflection and set about brushing her teeth and getting changed.

In the darkness of the bedroom, she could pick out a slender figure sleeping in Tonks' bed, and smiled slightly as she emitted a soft snort. Past the presumably empty bed of Ginny, as it was still made, Hermione finally allowed herself to crawl into bed, the warmth and comfort immediately enveloping her as she was claimed victim by sleep's grasp.

- - -

Tonks screwed up her eyes, desperate to let her fatigued mind and body lull off to sleep again, but she was now awake. Sighing softly, she knew any attempts at more sleep were futile, and sat up. Her eyes twinkled in the dark as she sought out the other occupant of the room.

Smiling as she saw the other woman lost in her dreams, she slipped out of bed and began to tiptoe nearer. The loud creak ripped through the previous serenity of the room. Hermione darted awake and jumped up in bed.

"Tonks!" she cried breathlessly. "What do you think you're doing?"

A crimson blush tainted Tonks' cheeks in embarrassment as she fumbled for words.

"I- uh- Sorry, Hermione, I'm clumsy and I was jus-"

God, why did she feel so nervous? She was Tonks. She was never supposed to be nervous. Clumsy, yes, but not like _this_.

"It's okay, Tonks," Hermione sighed. She rubbed her eyes and asked, "What are you doing out of bed?"

"I woke up. I can't get back to sleep, you know."

Hermione studied her properly. Her pyjamas hung off her already thin body, and her skin was pale. She wondered idly if Tonks could disguise the fact she looked so ill by changing her appearance.

"You've been working too hard," Hermione said, crossing her legs under the blanket. "You'll make yourself ill."

Tonks let out a small laugh.

"That's good coming from you."

Hermione grinned wryly in agreement.

"I guess we both need to rest." She shivered in the night air, and pulled the covers closer. Tonks shifted awkwardly on the spot, scratching a skinny arm with bitten down fingernails – the result of many futile nights pouring over plans and parchments, trying to find a miracle to save them all.

"Can I-"

Hermione looked up at her, puzzled. "Can you what?"

"Oh, nothing. It's just my dad… he used to let me sleep in his bed and it doesn't matter and I should stop rambling-"

"Tonks, calm down," Hermione exclaimed. It wasn't like Tonks. Of course, she was certainly quirky, and Hermione like that, but she finally settled her odd behaviour on undeniable nerves and her insomnia setting in. She paused for a moment, thinking, then pulled the covers back, the gust of cold window making her gasp.

Tonks looked down in amazement, then scrambled in next to her, shy gratefulness clear in her features, despite the dark. Next to her, Hermione lay back down.

"Where's Ginny?" Tonks asked.

"Oh, probably with Harry," Hermione replied, settling down beside her. "I guess he needs someone now," she added sadly.

"When did they get together?"

"At the end of the school year. I _knew_ all those times he disappeared off somewhere that he wasn't revising for his NEWTs, but I let him think that I believed him," she replied with a gentle laugh.

"Well, I don't suppose that he feels like revising is such an important thing with what's coming."

"No," Hermione said softly. "Neither do I. At least not compared to _war_."

"Hermione!" Tonks gasped in mock surprise.

"What can I say, I've changed since I first started school. Of course studies are important, but NEWTs aren't all that big a deal when you're dead."

"Well," Tonks said after a few moments of silence. "That's a depressing thought."

"Yeah, it is. Well, tell me something funny then."

"Like what?"

"I don't know. I just… I just want to forget for a moment what we are up against, of what's going to inevitably happen sometime soon," Hermione burst out. "I just want to be a normal teenager who doesn't have to worry about imminent doom."

"Again with the cheery thoughts," Tonks said dryly, regaining her humour after the shyness. "How about… Oh I don't know. I tripped down the stairs the other day when you were out with Molly and nearly broke my neck."

"That's not funny, Tonks," Hermione frowned.

"Fred and George seemed to think so," she muttered. "Although they changed their minds when I sent a Bat Bogey Hex at them."

Hermione laughed and shook her head.

"Hit them good, it did. Of course Arthur reversed it though. Spoil sport." She turned her head sideways and asked quietly, "Forgotten yet?"

Hermione turned away and sighed.

"No."

Tonks found her hand under the covers and squeezed it reassuringly. Hermione relaxed slightly and squirmed to get comfortable on the lumpy bed. She pulled the covers up with her other hand to under her chin, but didn't close her eyes.

She desperately wanted to ask the question that was burning on her lips, yet she felt rude. So many ways to word it, yet in the scenarios in her head they all seemed so abrupt and ended with Tonks being offended. She didn't have a right to ask such a thing. And yet she wanted to know so badly. Where was that Gryffindor courage?

"Tonks," Hermione whispered.

"Yeah?"

"Can I asked you something?"

"Um… okay."

"What do you look like? Really?"

Silence. Then, "What makes you think I don't really look like this?" Was that defensiveness in her voice?

Hermione replied eventually, "Well, you just… don't seem comfortable in your own body. I- I didn't mean to offend you, Tonks."

"You didn't." Hermione heard her take a deep breath, and guessed that she was transforming into her real self. "You won't be able to see."

"I'll find my wand," Hermione said, and made to move, but Tonks grabbed her arm to stop her.

She raised Hermione's hand to her face and heard her let out a startled gasp, but she soon relaxed. Slowly, cautiously, as if scared one wrong move would break her, Hermione ran her fingers over Tonks' face, over the soft skin, the arch over her eyes, down her small, slightly upturned nose, and over her full, tender lips.

Tonks' face was closer, now, her hot breath tickling Hermione's face, the sweet smell of strawberries intoxicating. Hermione could feel her lips tug in to a smile at her touch, and couldn't help but mirror the action at eliciting such a reaction.

"I think you're pretty," Hermione said, barely audible. She didn't know what her hair was like, what colour her eyes were, or what she looked like, but it hardly mattered. She went to pull away, but Tonks caught her hand and entwined her fingers through hers.

"Tonks…" Whatever she was going to say was cut short as Tonks kissed her. Sweet, delicious, soft, her lips claimed Hermione's as their own, and soon she found herself reciprocating.

An arm hooked around Hermione, drawing her closer, and the two bodies entangled in their desire. Hands roamed up Hermione's body, soft fleeting traces of a touch, then nails clawing in hunger. Kisses to sate her longing trailed down her body as Tonks took her turn to explore.

She ran her hands over the small but responsive breasts, down to just under her stomach and over her side, curling round to rest at the base of her spine. The small circles made Hermione stretch away, the small motions tickling the sensitive skin, but Tonks only persisted, the arch of Hermione's back making her come closer.

Skin on skin, craving contact, and heated kisses that burned passion. Never breaking touch, Tonks began to nudge at Hermione's pyjama shorts, slipping them down.

Hermione froze.

"Don't- Don't you-"

"Shhhh," Hermione whispered. She heard the insecurity and rejection in Tonks' voice, and squeezed her hand reassuringly. "I'm happy enough like this. Just simply lying here. Let's take this slowly."

"This?" Tonks croaked hopefully.

"If- If you want to," Hermione replied, wishing it was light so she could see the other woman's expression.

"Well, I do if _you_ want to."

Hermione couldn't help but giggle.

"Yes."

"Okay. Good."

"Good."

Hermione kissed her once more before resting her head in the crook of her neck. Fingers and bodies still entwined, they both drifted off to sleep, for once none of their dreams tainted by dark shadows and dread.

- - -

A creak woke them up as the sun was rising in the crisp morning sky, and Tonks quickly clambered out of the bed. She stood in front of Hermione, allowing her to momentarily see her self-dubbed boring face, but Hermione thought she was beautiful. Dark brown eyes sought reassurance as mousy curls framed her features.

Hermione smiled then watched as she reverted back to her bold, bright appearance, but she knew that it was only to mask the understated and insecure person underneath. For the first time in her life, Tonks felt comfortable revealing that side, letting someone else know and share her fears.

The door opened and Ginny entered, a look of guilt and shock on her face as her eyes darted from Tonks to Hermione.

"I didn't wake you coming up the stairs, did I?"

"No, it's fine," Tonks said brightly.

"So, how's Harry?" Hermione asked.

Ginny grinned and dropped down on the bed.

"Oh, he's good, considering," she began, and as she chatted spiritedly about him and their time together, Hermione and Tonks shared a look over the younger female's head. They smiled at each other, filling the other with warmth, and then carried on the conversation with the oblivious Ginny.

And in the moments they shared, they both forgot. They both forgot the rest of the world, the troubles and the war. Together they could be average, normal girls, heads bent together or a fleeting glance, trading whispers of sweet nothings or a mere smile, they could forget. Just normal girls, with their own extraordinary secret.

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Fin

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ConCrit greatly appreciated and encouraged, although general reviews are good! Thanks for reading.

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